Rail anchor



Jan. 3,y 1950 G. L. MOORE ET Al. 2,493,686

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Dec. 18, 1945.

I /6 J7 y Syvum/WOM a GEOG'E L. MOORE JHE R. STEELE I imgmwz;

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Patented Jan. 3, 1950 George L. Moore andJames B. 'Steel, \0weg0,`

N. Y.. assignors; by mcsne assignments, tof'Poon & Company, Chicago,Ill., `a corporation" of Delaware Application December 18,1945,SerialvN0.-635,668"

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to rail anchors and particularly to devices ofthis nature which are fabricated lof short lengths of steel and soshaped or fashioned that they may be assembled with the rails which areto be anchored with the least possible use of force.

It lhas heretofore been proposed that rail anchors of this general typemay with advantage be so made that, after each has been positioned uponthe rail with which it is permanently associated, and comes into contactwith the adjacent tie when such rail tends to move longitudinally of theroadbed, tilting of the anchor from its normally vertical plane mayoccur, thus causing in the usual case certain edges or corners of theanchor to bite into the metal of the rail and to thus increase thestrength of the grip of.

the anchor on the rail.

A rail anchor which is so constructed that tilting under certainconditions may occur, is disclosed in Patent 1,890,066, granted to usDecember 6, 1932. While the anchor which comprises the subject matter ofthat patenthas been found These transversely. extending scores orcuts,while initially relatively unimportant, vare considered to. beobjectionable because they may initiate fatigue failures in the rails.Cutting or scoring of the rail surfaces toward the outer margins .of therail flanges is particularlyobjectionable.

Again, the tilting ,of theanchor to an excessive rdegree ultimatelydestroys its capacity to grip, the rail sufficiently tightly to preventcreeping, the metal of' which the anchor is fabricated eventuallybecoming over-strained and its action as a. resilient member being thusso reducedl that the rail may slide through the anchor when a.

moderate creeping force is applied to the rail. Y. It is the primarypurpose of the present invention to provide a rail anchoriof theresilient its disadvantages, the improved anchor beingso designed andconstructed that the .tendency to tilt under load is very greatlyreduced,.the.working I,efliciencyof the Vanchor increased, thelpossibility of '.failure. duelto over-stressing of they metalof whichit. is .fabricated almost. eliminated,I

and its tendency to cut or score the rail surfaces '[45 and easilyrapplied type, which Vhas alllof the. numerous advantages of the anchordisclosed in: the patent referred vto Without, however, having,

so lfar counteractedthat such cutting or scoringvery .seldom occurs.These .desirable resultsV are achievedby so designingtheanchor that itfgrips.

the rail in an improved'manner without, however, being so Vmateriallychanged iin construction, as

compared with the anchor previously. patented, thatany of theadvantages` of that anchor are sacriced.

One importantchange .in design results in the application o'f theprincipal lever .gripping force of the anchor, duringthe presence uoftilting pressurethereon to and -over an area closely. adjacent' to theouterJnargin'of 'the'rail' flange, instead of to and over an area^of thefillet at`thebase1 of the rail web, asheretofore. The pointor area tovwhich the major downward lever pressure of the` anchorupontheupper-surface `of the .rail ange is applied to thus loweredas faraspossible .towardithe under-surface of `the..rail.` -v The* lever armVfor delivering ,the last mentioneddownward pressure is thusconsiderablyishortened so as to` exert a' major gripping force and Aatthe same time resist bending of the arm .and consequenttilting of theanchor. likewise, resistance to tilting is increased because-.of otherfactors, all to be hereinafter pointed Uout.

In the accompanying drawings, one embodiment of .the `invention isdisclosed bywaybf example. It will be appreciated that minor `changesmay be made in the-adaptationiof the improved anchor to rails whichdiffer somewhat in size and shape.

Inthe drawings,

Figure 1 shows in transversesection thebase of a rail, with portionofthe vweba .rail anchor of the typel above brieiiy.. describedbeingshown.

lines .the positionto which its several portions'V would move were. therail'r to `cease to oier resistance to contraction Yof the anchor, and

Figure .3 shows, .in side elevation,..a..short sec.-

tion .of rail, a portion o-fa raiI-.suppOrtingtie in elevation, one railanchor in-endA elevation, andportion y-of a. rail plate.`

The'portion .ofa standard rail which'- isill-ustrated in -the Idrawings.comprises the'web I lI-and the basedianges-` I I and I 2:

and I2 slope downwardly and outwardly from the Tha-under-surfacef oflthe .rail base, indicatedY rat I 3 ,is :substantially fiat Vwand* fthe?uppe r-sunfacesfw of: the angesf'l I v 3 web I in the usual manner,these surfaces being indicated at I4 and i5, respectively, and makingrelatively small angles with the plane of the rail under-surface |3, forinstance, angles of fourteen degrees, respectively. The upper margins ofange surfaces M and I5 merge with fillets I6 and Il and the uppermargins of these fillets merge with the lateral faces I8 and I9 of'theweb I0. vSurfaces and 2| may be designated rail flange edge surfaces. Y

The anchor is generally indicated at A and comprises a length of steelwhich is so fashioned in manufacture that it has` the shape shown in thedrawings. In cross section it may be rectangular as shown, andpreferably is rectangular, with the longer cross-sectional dimensionextending longitudinally of the rail to which it is applied, thedisposition of the metal of the anchor in this manner, so that it isrelatively wide, decreasing the possibility-of tilting under load.

The invention contemplates, however, anchors which vary in transversesection, it lbeing possible to fabricate Vthe anchor of a .lengthl ofmetal channel shaped in cross section, or otherwise shaped, providedthat the other conditions which the invention imposes are complied with.

TheV anchor comprises a number of portions, a terminal portion adaptedto overlie one flange of the rail, an intermediate portion 3| adaptedto' engage the under-surface of the rail approximately midway betweenits edges andv preferably spaced nearer that edge opposite to the flangewhich `is to be engaged by the terminal portion 30, a rail flange edgeengaging terminal portion 32,'a connecting portion 33 which connects therail ange edge engaging portion 32 andthe intermediate portion 3|, and aloop portion 34 connecting the rail flange overlying portion 30 and. theintermediate portion 3|, this loop portion 34|v extends downwardly belowthe undersurface of the rail and is adapted to engage the side surfaceof a tie 35, in some instances engagingthe edge of the tie plate 3B, aswhen the tie 35 becomes worn or Where the tie plate projects beyond theside of the tie.

The connecting portion 33 is .also preferably a loop which extendsdownwardly so as to be able toV engage the side of a tie or the edge ofa rail plate. TheV extreme terminal end of the rail flange engagingportion 32 is preferably upset f".

so as to provide a bead or lip 31 adapted to overlie the immediatelyadjacent edge of the .rail flange when the anchor is in operativeposition and to thus also tend to minimize tilting. The bead 31 isrounded as shown in Fig. l so as to present a smooth non-cutting surfaceto theadjacent bottom and corner portions of the rail.

The terminal portion 3B of the anchor is so formed that, when .theanchor is in its effective position, it bears upon the upper-surface Mof the underlying rail flange approximately at the location which isindicated at a in Figure 2 and l3, this location being immediately.adjacent the edge of the rail ange. The end of the terminal portion 30is preferably curved, as shown, to provide a complementary surface toengage the llet I1. Between this curved surface, as indicatedY at b, andthe location a previously referred to, a material portion` oftheundersurface of the anchor portion 3|) is out of contact with theupwardly facing surface I4 of the rail flange when the anchor is in itsoperative position. As previously explained, the gripping action of theanchor on the rail is largely the result of the downward pressure of theportion 30 of the anchor at the location a and the upward pressure ofthe intermediate portion 3| of the anchor against the under-surface ofthe rail. The spacing of the portion 30 inwardly from the rail baseintermediate said areas a and b permits the bearing surfaces associatedwith said areas to seat independently of each other on the rail andthereby makes possible the application of said major downward leverpressure at .the location a. This result is obtained by reason of thefact that the portion 35i intermediate the bearings a and b is flexeddownwardly toward the rail base, when the anchor is subjected to tiltingpressure, and thereby permits the bearing a to remain in contact withthe rail base in close relation to the edge thereof.

In the application of the anchor to the rail base, it is firstpreferably positioned, as shown in Figure 1, the end of the terminalportion engaging the fillet Il of the rail at the location b, and theend of terminal portion 32 resting against the under-surface I3 of therail. A driving force may be applied in the direction indicated by thearrow f in Figure l, as by means of a maul, thus causing the anchor tobe distorted as a result of this blow to such an extent that theterminal portion 32 is projected be.

yond the ange edge surface 2|, and is thus enabled to move upwardly intothe position into Which it is shown in Figure 2, the intermediateportion 3| preferably being in spaced relation to the rail, likewiseadvanced laterally as the loop 34 is distorted under the force of theapplying blow and moving in tight engagement with the railunder-surface. In this Position the rail anchor in tending to assume itsnormal condition applies a strong gripping action to the rail,particularly diagonally between the terminal portion ,32 and the portionengaging the llet of the rail, also between the intermediate portion andthe last mentioned portion. Thus it will be. seen that there is a stronggripping action on the rail by the anchor substantially horizontally andat the same time a well distributed As thus applied, the holding forceof the anchor is very great and its tendency to tilt in service isminimized. In the event that abnormal forces are applied to move therail longitudinally and causeY the tilting of the anchor the Verticalforces aforesaid would return the anchor to its normal position aftersuch abnormal forces have been i' removed.

distance between the surfaces of the rails with which they respectivelyengage after the anchor is applied to the rail. The angle Y between theunder-surface I3 and the rail flange upper-surface I4 is 14 degrees formost rails, the approxi.-

mate angle between the under-surface of the anchor portion 30 atlocation a and the upper-surface of the intermediate portion 3|, whichis indicated at X in Figure 1, will be approximately ten degrees for ankanchor constructed substana tially as shown.

As the anchor is driven into position by a blow which develops the forceF, the terminal end of portion 30 is further separated from theintermediate portion 3|, these portions being sprung apart by the railange, and the anchor, particularly the loop portion 34, being placedunder stress. As thus distorted, the anchor will remain in positionindefinitely, constantly gripping the rail base and preventing movementof the rail relative to the tie to which the anchor is associated, allwithout the occurrence of any substantial tilting.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rail anchor comprising a bar of resilient metal bent to provide aterminal portion for overlying one base flange of a railroad rail, aportion providing a bottom bearing for engaging the bottom surface ofthe rail, a rail flange edge engaging terminal portion, a portionconnecting the last mentioned portion with the portion for bearingagainst said bottom surface of the rail base, and a portion connectingthe bottom bearing portion with said flange overlying terminal portionand forming a depending tie abutting loop, the said rail flangeoverlying terminal portion formed with spaced bearing surfaces locatedat different distances above said bottom bearing, one of said bearingsurfaces for engaging an area on the inclined upper-surf ace of the railange immediately adjacent the outer edge of the flange and the other ofsaid spaced bearing surfaces formed to exert resilient gripping pressuretransversely of the rail against an area of the fillet at the base ofthe rail web and the said terminal portion being out of contact with therail throughout the spacing between these areas, whereby a portion ofsaid terminal intermediate the spaced bearing surfaces is flexeddownwardly toward the inclined top surface of the rail base duringtilting of the anchor about said bottom bearing as an axis extendingtransversely of the rail and the said spaced bearing surfaces maintaintheir seating contacts independently of each other on said fillet and onthe inclined top face of the underlying base flange immediately adjacentthe edge thereof during said tilting of the anchor about said bottombearing.

2. A rail anchor comprising a resilient metal strip of rectangular crosssection which, includes a terminal portion for overlying one base flangeof a rail, an intermediate portion providing a bottom bearing forengaging the undersurface of a rail base, approximately midway betweenthe edges thereof, a rail flange edge engaging terminal portion having alip rounded on its upper surface to fit over the upper corner portion ofa rail base flange, a portion connecting the intermediate portion to therail flange edge engaging porl tion, and a curved portion connecting thesaid intermediate portion and said rail flange overlying terminalportion and forming a depending tie engaging loop to be forciblydistorted by a rail flange when the anchor is driven onto a rail baseand to thus cause the said terminal portion and intermediate portion tostrongly gripbetween them the rail base and to cause the rail flangeedge engaging portion to engage the edge of the opposite rail flange,the said rail flange overlying terminal portion formed with spacedbearing surfaces located at different distances above said bottombearing, one of said spaced bearing surfaces engaging an area on theinclined upper surface of the rail flange immediately adjacent the outeredge of the 7 flange and the other of said spaced bearing surfacesformed to exert resilient gripping pressure transversely of the railagainst an area of the fillet at the base of the rail web and the saidterminal portion being out of contact with the rail throughout thespacing between these areas, whereby a portion of said terminalintermediate the spaced bearing surfaces is flexed downwardly toward theinclined top surface of the rail base during tilting of the anchor aboutsaid bottom bearing as an axis extending transversely of the rail andthe said spaced bearing surfaces maintain their seating contactsindependently of each other on said fillet and on the inclined top faceof the underlying base flange immediately adjacent the edge thereofduring said tilting of the anchor about said bottom bearing.

3. A rail anchor comprising a resilient metal strip which, includes aterminal portion for overlying one base flange of a rail, anintermediate portion providing a bottom bearing for engaging theundersurface of a rail base, approximately midway between the edgesthereof, but only at a location beyond the inner end of said terminalportion, a rail flange edge engaging terminal portion, a portionconnecting the intermediate portion to the rail flange edge engagingportion, and a curved portion connecting the said intermediate portionand said rail flange overlying terminal portion and forming a dependingtie engaging loop to be forcibly distorted by a rail flange when theanchor is driven onto a rail base and to thus cause the said terminalportion and intermediate portion to strongly grip between them the railbase and to cause the rail flange edge engaging portion to engage theedge of the opposite rail flange, the said rail flange overlyingterminal portion being formed with spaced bearing surfaces located atdifferent distances above the bottom bearing and exerting lever grips ofdifferent tenacity on the rail during the exertion of said lever grips,one of said spaced bearing surfaces for engaging an area of the railflange upper-surface immediately adjacent the outer edge of the flangeand the other of said spaced bearing surfaces formed to engage an areaof the fillet at the base of the rail web and the said terminal portionbeing out of contact with the rail throughout the spacing between theseareas, whereby a portion of said terminal intermediate the spacedbearing surfaces is flexed downwardly toward the inclined top surface ofthe rail base during tilting of the anchor about said bottom bearing asan axis extending transversely of the rail and the said spaced bearingsurfaces maintain their seating contacts independently of each other onsaid fillet and on the inclined top face of the underlying base flangeimmediately adjacent the edge thereof during said tilting of the anchorabout said bottom bearing.

GEORGE L. MOO-RE. JAMES R. STEELE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 17,314 Gillmor June 4, 19291,292,554 Wolhaupter Jan. 28, 1919 1,890,066 Moore et al Dec. 6. 1932

